# Keeping in with Vosper explained — Golf Stories > Chapter companion for Golf Stories by P. G. Wodehouse. ## What happens Bradbury Fisher, a Wall Street millionaire and avid golfer, deceives his wife about going to the office so he can play golf. After winning a small pewter cup in a tournament, he returns home elated and doubles Vosper's wages. However, his wife reveals that Vosper has complained about him going to the office, forcing Bradbury to find a new pretext. He fabricates a trip to Sing-Sing for a college event. The chapter also includes a framing story where the Oldest Member recounts this tale to a young man frustrated with his wife's delays on the golf course. ## Themes in this chapter ### Deception and Secrecy Bradbury Fisher systematically deceives his wife about his golf activities, using the office as a pretext. ### Obsession and Devotion Bradbury's obsession with golf, especially winning a cup, drives his actions and overrides marital concerns. ### Social Class and Status The importance of butlers with aristocratic service records and the social dynamics of wealth and golf. ### Humor and Absurdity The comedic situations of Bradbury's lies, his mother-in-law's sniffs, and the exaggerated importance of golf. ## Character check-ins ### Bradbury Fisher A Wall Street millionaire who deceives his wife to play golf, wins a cup, and doubles Vosper's wages. ### Mrs. Fisher Bradbury's wife, who complains about his office visits and reveals Vosper's complaint. ### Mrs. Lora Smith Maplebury Bradbury's mother-in-law, who sniffs significantly and annoys him. ### Vosper The butler who has been with a duke for fifteen years; complains about Bradbury's office work. ### The Sage The Oldest Member who narrates the story of Bradbury Fisher. ## Key lines > Remorse, you feel, must long since have begun to gnaw at his vitals; and the thought suggests itself to you that surely by this time the pangs of self-reproach must have interfered seriously with his short game, even if not as yet sufficiently severe to affect his driving off the tee. You might think guilt would be eating at him and hurting his golf game, but it hasn't affected his putting or driving yet. _The narrator humorously suggests that remorse would impact a golfer's short game before driving._ > And every golfer knows that in the soul of the man who does that there is no room for remorse. Conscience may sting the player who is going round in a hundred and ten, but when it tries to make itself unpleasant to the man who is doing ninety-sevens and ninety-eights, it is simply wasting its time. A golfer who breaks 100 feels no guilt; conscience only bothers those with higher scores. _The narrator uses golf scores to illustrate Bradbury's lack of remorse._ > Blindly he tottered from the room and sought his study. He wanted to be alone. He had to think, think. He stumbled out of the room to his study, needing solitude to figure out what to do. _Bradbury is stunned by the news that he can't use the office as an excuse._ > I merely inhaled. I simply drew in air through my nostrils. If I am not at liberty to draw in air through my nostrils in your house, pray inform me. I just breathed in through my nose. If I'm not allowed to breathe in your house, tell me. _Mrs. Maplebury sarcastically defends her sniffing habit._ > Tra-la! sang Bradbury Fisher. Tra-la! Bradbury Fisher sang 'Tra-la!' cheerfully. _Bradbury's joyful exclamation after winning the cup._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/golf_stories_se/chapters/keeping-in-with-vosper - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/golf_stories_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/golf_stories_se/chapters